Reports, proud muckraking, photos, videos and musings from the veteran LGBT and AIDS human rights advocate Michael Petrelis. Based in San Francisco since 1995.
Contact: MPetrelis_at_AOL_dot_com.
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Sunday, October 14, 2012

NCLR's Kendell to MUMC:Rethink Raising Trans Flag in SF

As far as I can tell, the executive director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, Kate Kendell, and her organization are the first Gay Inc leader and group to go on the public record calling for reversal of MUMC latest dumb decision regarding the public flagpole on city grounds. I emailed Kate for a statement last week, and her press assistant Erik Olvera sent this note tonight.

I graciously accept their thank you message on behalf of two key colleagues who have also performed terrific work on the flag matters, Veronika Fimbres and Bill Wilson. Much gratitude to Kate and her crew!

San Francisco has two gay rags, the Bay Area Reporter and the Bay Times, and neither is preparing a story for their next issue about the explosion of news around the flag. What excuses can the BAR and Bay Times have for maintaining a news blackout? Maybe they're afraid to lose advertising dollars from MUMC and the banks, businesses and bars that comprise it's exclusive membership.

From NCLR:

Hey Michael. Thank you so much for your continued work on this issue. This is NCLR and Kate’s official statement:

The National Center for Lesbian Rights is saddened and baffled by the decision of the Merchants of Upper Market and Castro (MUMC) to deny a request to fly the Transgender Pride Flag on the Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 20.

Violence against transgender people is one of the most serious issues facing the LGBT community, and the Transgender Day of Remembrance is one of our community’s most important opportunities to honor those who have lost their lives to anti-transgender violence and renew our commitment to ending the epidemic of hate violence against transgender people in this country.

It is shameful that such callous disregard for this critical issue would be shown in San Francisco, which has been a haven of safety and acceptance for so many LGBT people.

We strongly urge MUMC to reconsider their decision and show their support for transgender people.